Falling Out Of Love
by spashley20
Summary: What if Rachel and I don’t work out? Would this risk be all for nothing? I could lose everything. But I’m Brooke Davis and I can’t live with what-ifs." Breyton & Brachel. Baley friendship. COMPLETE
1. Cheer Queen

"Brooooooke. Do you really have to go?" Peyton whined as she flopped down onto my bed.

Yup. That's my good ol' broody Peyton. We've been best friends since forever and girlfriends for about a year. We've been basically attached to the hip since getting together.

"Good morning to you too Peyton." I said, ignoring her as I finally zipped up my suitcase.

I saw Peyton frown out of the corner of my eye. "Stop pouting Peyt. You know this is important to me. This cheering clinic is pivotal if we want to make states this year. Besides, it's only a weekend."

"Yeah, but a weekend with _her._ I don't get why you are taking her and not me." It was no secret that Peyton hated Rachel since she got here. I don't blame her, Rachel can be a bitch.

I turned around and joined her on the bed. "Baby, you know I love you but you aren't cheerleader captain material. Rachel is the co-captain and _that_ is why she's coming with me." I gave Peyton a quick peck and tried to get back up to finish packing.

She had different plans. She grabbed my arm and pulled me on top of her. "Peyton I don't have time for this." She pulled me in for another, longer kiss. "Okay, packing can wait."

Ten minutes and two shirts off later the doorbell rang.

"So not fair." Peyton mumbled into my lips. "Ignore it?"

"So whore, are you ready to go?" Rachel called out before walking through my door.

That's Rachel Gattina. Self-proclaimed cheer queen. She's new, but our coach has already given her the co-captain spot so I guess I'll have to deal. Coach says that we'll get a chance to 'bond' this weekend. Whatever.

"Okay ew. Could you guys keep your hands off each other? I might just barf." She covered her eyes and walked back out of my room.

I smirked and got off of Peyton. "Sure you don't want to join Rachie?"

"So not listening!" Rachel called from the hallway. "Just put your shirt back on!"

Peyton giggled as she put her shirt back on but refused to give me mine. "Peyton! Give it to me!" She dodged me and walked to the other side of the room, using my bed as a shield.

"Oh, but Brooke, it looks so much better off."

"Seriously, if you guys don't cut the cute 'we're in love' shit, I might just leave without you." Rachel threatened. "Car leaves in two minutes Brooke with or without you!"

"Peyton." I gave her my best puppy-dog face.

Peyton finally gave in. "Okay, okay." Peyton threw me my shirt and as soon as I put it on she wrapped me in a hug. "Text me when you get a chance."

"I promise. Bye girlfriend."

**FOOL**

"Ah, home sweet home." Rachel said jumping on our hotel bed. Apparently they had run out of double bed rooms, so here me and Rachel are, sharing a bed. Not that I'm complaining.

Oh my god. Totally didn't mean for that to come out like that. I just meant I felt comfortable around her so it didn't matter if we shared a bed…whatever. I don't need to explain myself to myself.

I got under the covers and shut off the lamp. We had decided to go to bed early instead of exploring the rest of the hotel because we figured tomorrow would be a long day. As soon as I had gone into dream-but-not-yet-asleep land, I heard Rachel whisper to me.

"You know…I think we can make this work…even though you are a crazy bitch." Rachel said teasingly.

What was she talking about? A relationship? A fling? I couldn't possibly do that to Peyton. Before i could open my mouth, she started to explain what she was talking about.

"I know you've been captain for two years now without any help but with your choreography skills and my gymnastics I bet we'll be able to-"

Oh. Cheerleading, right. I knew that. Oops, I stopped listening to her.

"And I know we didn't get along at first but I think we can put it aside for the team."

"Uh, sure. Sounds super." Sounds super? I am _such_ a loser.

Why do I even care what Gattina thinks?

"But I'm trying to sleep skank. So shut it." That's more like it.

"Whore." Rachel mumbled but thankfully turned around and fell asleep.

I took out my sidekick and decided to text Peyton to get my wandering mind off Rachel.

**Hey baby. Miss you.**

_**I miss you too B. Davis. How's the clinic?**_

**Starts tomorrow morning at 5. FIVE AM! Can you believe that?**

_**Lol. You'll live Brooke. How's the cheer bitch doing?**_

**Oh, you mean Rachel? Cheering. And bitching. **

_**Lol seriously?**_

**No. She's sleeping stupid.**

_**You're mean. **_

**Maybe. But I love you.**

_**Love you too. Go to bed, you have cheer camp in like 4 hours.**_

"Shit!" I said to the air. I shut my phone off and then chucked it across the room. How am I supposed to be perky tomorrow off of four hours of sleep?

**FOOL**

"Rise and shine whore!"

"Ugh. What a great way to be woken up." I mumbled from under my sheets. "What time is it?"

"7:30."

"What!" I shot out of bed and started throwing my practice clothes on. "We were supposed to be at the gym by five!"

Rachel began giggling. "What about this is funny?" I asked her without stopping my motions of getting ready.

"It's actually 4:30. I just figured this way you would get up quicker."

I immediately dropped my toothbrush back into my bag. Slowly I turned around to face her and gave her the 'eye'. "You are so dead."

Before she could react, I ran and tackled her to the bed. I began a full-on tickle attack. You see, I found out her weakness at cheer practice a few days ago. I was spotting her when she was trying a new stunt and accidentally grazed her stomach. Rachel giggled, I got a little carried away, and ta-da! Rachel's weakness found.

"Stop! I'm sorry! Stop!" Rachel said through deep laughs.

"Say the magic words!"

"I don't…know the magic…words!"

"Make them up and fast!"

"Brooke is…the most…wonderfulist…person I know. Even better…than me!" Rachel could barely speak through her laughter. It's really the cutest thing I've ever seen.

"Okay. Those work." I hopped off her and got ready to go eat breakfast before the clinic started.

"I hate you."

"Love you too!" I called over my shoulder.

Maybe spending the weekend with Rachel wouldn't be so bad afterall.


	2. I'm a Helper

The weekend flew by pretty quickly; tomorrow we are leaving to go back to Tree Hill. Surprisingly, Rachel and I actually got along pretty well. Except for the occasional name-calling, but that's sort of our thing.

Is it weird that I have a _thing_ with someone else that isn't Peyton?

Of course it's not weird. It's fine, actually! Friends have _things_ all the time.

"Could you think a little quieter? I'm trying to sleep." Rachel whispered, cutting through my thoughts.

"If only you knew what I was thinking…" I mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing…I'm just wicked sore from today's drills."

"Oh! Want a special Gattina shoulder massage? I am so good at them."

Before I could protest, she was out of her bed and jumping on mine. I reluctantly sat up and she began massaging my shoulders.

Damn, she _was_ good at this. "Mmm…You are good at these."

"Told ya!" Rachel smirked. God I love that smirk.

With that thought I leapt off my bed and scrambled to the bathroom door. She looked at me with a confused expression.

"Uh…bathroom." I said as I pointed to the door and rushed into the bathroom. I slammed the door shut and sat on the toliet seat. Was Rachel Gattina just flirting with me? Oh this is so bad. All we've done this weekend is either somehow touch each other or get into trouble.

"_Okay girls, listen to these rules. They will help you not only control your squads, but also keep them safe…" The cheerleading coach rambled. _

_Rachel leaned over and whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my body. "Am I the only one hearing blah blah blah?" We burst into laughter and for some reason that really pissed off the coach._

"_Something funny? Gattina, Davis?"_

"_Actually, yeah, hence the giggling." Rachel cockily replied, sending us into another fit of laughter._

"_Well you can laugh all you want in the hallway. Go to lunch early you are no longer apart of this section of the clinic."_

_We walked into the hallway and hit the elevator button. "Way to get us kicked out."_

"_Hey, it was your fault for laughing so damn loud." _

_I scoffed. "Right, that was my fault. Will you ever forgive me?" I asked mockingly. _

_Rachel looked off into the distance and put one hand on her heart. "Maybe one day I'll be able to." She said it so seriously I couldn't help but laugh. _

"_Whatever. You're such a goof." We walked into our hotel room and Rachel started to freak out._

"_Bug! Ewww." The redhead stomped on it with her foot._

"_Rachel! You murderer!" I teased._

"_What? I sent it to a better place. Technically, I'm a helper." Okay, that had to be the funniest thing she said all day. I can't help but get the giggles when I'm around her._

"Brooke? Are you okay? You've been in there for like, twenty minutes."

"Fine." I called back to her.

"You better not be puking because I don't feel like holding your hair back."

Just to get her to stop talking I swung the door open. "I'm fine, see?"

"Yeah…I see." Rachel's voice got dangerously low. She stepped closer to me.

"What…are you doing?" I managed to choke out.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Damn it. I _knew _she was flirting with me.

She leaned in, her lips literally a centimeter apart when my brain kicked in.

"I'm sorry. I can't do this to Peyton." I got out of the bathroom and immediately went to bed.

**FOOL**

"Brooke!" Peyton squealed as I walked in through her bedroom door. Ha. Peyton squealing is kind of funny. It's a rare moment. It's like seeing Tommy Pickles being afraid or Angelica being nice.

Okay, anyway.

She pulled me in for a hug. "God I missed you B. Davis."

Honestly, I hadn't missed her. Rachel had kept me…occupied. Does that make me a horrible person?

"I missed you too P. Sawyer." She lifted her head off my shoulder and kissed me slowly. It turned into a heated make-out session.

She guided us to her bed and began kissing down my neck.

"Oh Rachel…" I moaned.

Oh shit. Can I please take that back?

Peyton's head immediately shot up. "Are you kidding me?" She started ranting and storming out of her own house.

"Peyton wait! You didn't let me finish my sentence!"

"It doesn't need finishing Brooke. It was a _moan_ not a _sentence_."

"Okay, fine. Innocent slip of the tongue!"

Peyton scoffed. "I _knew_ this would happen. Ever since that skank moved here I just _knew_ she liked you. I could tell by the way she looked at you. Let me guess, you guys had a romantic weekend. I bet there wasn't even a cheer clinic!" She stormed through the door and got into her car.

"Peyton, please! Just calm down!" I hit her car window but she drove off anyway. Great.

**FOOL**

Normally when I have problems I go to Peyton, but considering my problem was Peyton, I drove to Haley's house.

I quickly told her the story about what happened with me and Peyton and how Peyton obviously overreacted.

"Uh huh."

"Well thank you Tutor Girl. Uh huh really clears things up for me." I shouldn't be nasty to Haley but sarcasm loves to come around when I'm upset.

"Did you apologize?"

"She didn't give me a chance! She just drove off!" I said throwing my hands up.

"Do you like Rachel?"

"What kind of a question is that? I'm with Peyton."

"Doesn't mean you don't like Rachel. Why did you say her name, Brooke?"

"Are you trying to confuse me?"

"Are you trying to avoid my questions? Just be honest with me, Brooke. I won't judge you."

"Okay, okay." I huffed and sat on the side of Haley. I leaned over and put my head in my hands and she wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulder.

"I haven't been able to get her out of my head lately. So I was kinda thinking about her when I was making out with Peyton."

"Well that's okay. It doesn't mean you don't love Peyton still. Everyone has fantasies once in a while. I mean I'm married to Nathan but that doesn't mean a certain Scott brother doesn't pop in my dreams every so often..."

"Ew!"

Haley laughed. "Just go apologize to Peyton, maybe have a nice romantic night or something."

Yeah, maybe Haley was right. "Good idea!"

I hopped in my car determined to find Peyton. First place to check: Tric.


	3. Break Up

Surprisingly, Peyton wasn't at Tric. It's usually the first place she goes if she isn't home. I decided to check the River Court and there she was. She was lying down in the middle of the court facing up towards the stars.

"Mind if I join you?" I asked as I sat down beside her.

"Yes."

I rolled my eyes without her seeing and tried to grab her hand. She violently jerked back without a word.

I sighed. "Baby, I'm sorry."

"Don't 'baby' me."

"What do I have to do to get you to forgive me?"

"I don't know. Maybe you should ask Rachel for some advice."

I've never really been good at this whole apologizing thing. So, I did all that I could think of. I leaned down towards her and began kissing up her neck.

"Peyton…" Kiss. "Peyton…" Kiss. "Peyton…"

I picked my head up for a moment before bringing my lips down to hers. I broke away after a minute or two. "See? I know and _love_ who I'm kissing."

Peyton looked like she was about to kiss me again before pushing me off. Her eyes looked so distant…so hurt.

"Listen Brooke, before I say anything else, I just want you to know I don't want to break up."

My heart dropped. This can't lead to anything good.

"But I need some space, okay? Kissing me can't solve everything. Just let me be alone tonight and we'll have lunch at school tomorrow, okay?"

A night alone? I can give her that. I got up and started walking away before I heard her call out to me.

"Hey Brooke…There's one more thing I want from you…I don't want you to see Rachel anymore."

"What? Peyton that isn't fair! She's a good friend of mine. And what about cheerleading?"

"Brooke it's completely fair! You're the one who said her name while _we_ were making out!" Peyton shouted harshly. I drew back and instantly saw her soften.

"You can talk to her only during cheerleading. I think that's fair Brooke."

"Fine." I didn't like it and I didn't agree with it. But if it's what it took to stay with Peyton, I was willing to do it. Well, at least try.

**FOOL**

Oh my gosh! Trigonometry blows. Like, big time. It doesn't help that I haven't seen Peyton all morning and that I've been trying to avoid Rachel like she's a disease. It's all just making me anxious.

Finally the bell rang and I walked into the hall to my locker. And surprise, surprise. Guess who's waiting for me at my locker? None other than the cheer bitch herself.

"Hey. You look hot in that uniform." She said huskily as I open my locker and throw my Trig book inside.

"Yeah, well you don't look so bad in it yourself, Gattina." As soon as I said it I spotted Peyton down the hall and quickly grabbed Rachel and thrusted her and me inside of the nearest closet.

"Ew. This is just disgusting. I didn't think our first time would be in a janitor's closet, but hey. Whatever floats your boat…"

"Shhhh. This isn't funny! Look, I can't be seen with you or talk to you anymore. Peyton won't let me. Well, unless it's cheerleading related."

Rachel scoffed. "Phst. What did I ever do?"

"Well, I kind of…maybe…might have…said your name while we were making out." I mumbled. I felt my cheeks flush. I am Brooke Davis! I am not supposed to blush!

"Ha. Now why, would you do such a thing?" Rachel said leaning in closer to me. I had nowhere to go.

"Rachel…" I trailed off.

"Do I make you feel uncomfortable, Brooke?" She leaned in just a tiny bit closer.

I gulped. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing. We're just discussing cheerleading matters. That's all." She grabbed the end of my skirt with her hand.

"This skirt definitely does not show enough thigh." She pushed my skirt up a little, letting her hand linger on my thigh.

My breath hitched as she leaned and whispered in my ear. "There's so much intensity between us. Heat. We could be amazing together Brooke…" She began stroking her hand up and down my thigh. "We could be such a passionate tragedy."

I couldn't help myself. I finally gave in and kissed her. She responded so strongly that I ended up backed into the wall with no space in between our bodies. It got intense so quickly that I almost didn't hear the ringing of my phone.

"Shit." I stopped kissing Rachel but we didn't move our bodies. I flipped open my phone and read the text.

_**Brooke Davis! Where the fuck are you?**_

Instantly flashes of Peyton filled my head. Fuck! I totally forgot about lunch.

"Sorry…I gotta go…sorry…" I mumbled to Rachel as I fixed my skirt and ran out of the closet.

Huffing and puffing, I ran to our usual lunch table and was met with a very unhappy Peyton.

"You know, I said I wanted space, but it's common fucking courtesy to not miss dates."

"I'm sorry-"

"Yeah, Brooke. You're sorry. That's nice. You sound like a broken record. Where were you Brooke? And if you say with Rachel…"

"No, no. I was…" I racked my brain for any excuse. I know I shouldn't lie, but I don't want to hurt her anymore just because I am such a screw up. "I was in the bathroom with Bevin. She wasn't feeling well and she kind of needed me. I just lost track of the time…"

"Oh…" She looks so guilty for thinking I was cheating. I am a horrible person. "Okay. Want some French fries?"

**FOOL**

Here I am again, back at Haley's house for the second time in two days. Tutor-girl is a great confidant.

I paced back and forth. "Brooke, you are going to make a hole in my floor."

"Okay, so no judging, right?" I nervously played with my fingers.

"Right."

"I made out with Rachel." I blurted out.

"Oh, Brooke." Haley looked at me with such disappointment in her eyes I almost cried.

"Please don't be disappointed in me Hales. I don't think I can take that right now."

"Sorry…But you can't go around kissing other girls, Brooke."

"I didn't mean to! I just…I don't know! I can't think clearly when I'm around her and she is so god damn persuasive!"

"Well we need to figure this out. You can't have both."

"I know." I sighed in defeat and fell on to her couch.

"Tell me what you like about each one."

"Well Rachel is so fiery and exciting. Not to mention she's so sexy. We're the same. I think I'm in lust with her."

Haley nodded for me to continue.

"But Peyton is…beautiful and… broody. It's like she's my other half. We've been through so much together and I love her."

"There's one question that will solve all your problems, Brooke."

"Really? What?"

"Are you in love with Peyton or are you in love with your history?"


	4. Falling Out of Love

_Previously…_

"_There's one question that will solve all your problems, Brooke."_

"_Really? What?"_

"_Are you in love with Peyton or are you in love with your history?"_

Haley's simple yet deep question crushed me. When I thought about the answer to it I knew in my heart that Peyton was my best friend. I also knew that I was not in love with her anymore.

I can't even begin to describe the fears breaking up with Peyton brings. It's not the fact that I don't want to lose her, it's the fact that I _can't_ lose her. She's my family.

And what if Rachel and I don't work out? Would this risk be all for nothing? I could lose _everything_.

But I'm Brooke Davis and I can't live with what-ifs.

"I think I'm falling out of love with Peyton."

There. I said it. It's how I've been feeling since I met Rachel but I was to afraid to admit it.

"Then you know what you have to do Brooke." Haley calmly replied.

"She's going to be heartbroken." I choked out.

Haley sighed. "Probably. But you can't be with her if you don't feel the same way. It isn't fair to either of you."

"You read a lot of self-help books don't you Tutor Girl?"

Haley scoffed. "I'm offended."

**FOOL**

I walked into my house and headed straight for my room. I was hoping for a good power nap before cheerleading. The whole Haley talk had taken a lot out of me and I knew later on was going to be difficult.

I am going to break up with Peyton after practice.

It seems like no matter how many times I say it I don't believe it. Things change so quickly…

"Rachel?" I opened my door to find the redhead swirling around in my computer chair. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was hoping we could discuss cheerleading matters." Rachel said sexily. She got up and walked over to me, wrapping her arms around my hips.

This time I wasn't surprised and I wasn't about to act like a love sick idiot.

"But Rachel, we do have practice in about an hour…" I leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Couldn't it have waited till then?"

"Well I don't mind giving everyone a free show, but I figured Peyton would mind…" Rachel tried to kiss me but I shrugged her off.

"It's not that I don't want to, because believe me, _I do_," Rachel smirked at that comment. "But I want to wait until I break up with Peyton. She means a lot to me still and I don't feel right cheating on her."

"Okay. I respect that." Rachel walked towards the door. "See you after cheerleading." And with a wink she was gone.

**AN: I know this chapter is super short but the next one is the last one and I wanted it all together without this buildup part. Thanks for all the reviews :)**


	5. All I See

Cheerleading practice went by painstakingly slow. I couldn't get Peyton out of my head. She wasn't at practice, which already worried me. She hadn't called or told anyone where she was.

I figured she had gone home and listened to a new album and just lost track of time. She does that a lot. I love how she gets so engrossed in her music. Sometimes I would just stand in her doorway and watch her. My record is four songs without her noticing I was even there. She usually responds by calling me a perv and then I tell her I can't help it. She just looks so beautiful.

Maybe breaking up with her is a mistake.

No, I have to stop second guessing myself. I made a decision and I'm going to stick with it.

Practice finally ended and I headed to Peyton's house. I parked in her driveway and sat there for twenty minutes, arguing with myself.

How am I supposed to break up with her?

_Sorry, Peyton, I just don't love you anymore._ That's lame. Especially since I do still love her. It can't be true love though if I'm willing to be with someone else. I have never been so frustrated in my entire life.

_P. Sawyer, I'd rather date Rachel. My bad._

_It's not you, it's me._

_Let's just be best friends, like the good ol' days. _

_I'm breaking up with you because I care so much about you. I don't want to hurt you in the future and I know that I will because I'm not fully committed. Please don't forget that I love you and need you in my life._

Hmm. That wasn't half bad. I finally mustered up enough courage to get out of my car and walk up to her room. If I don't do this now, I will never be able to. I still don't know what exactly to say but I take a deep breath and open her door anyway.

"Peyton?" I call out to her. My face drops and I fall into protection mode as I see Derek strangling Peyton. I jump on top of him and it causes him to fall to the floor. It knocks the wind out of me.

Peyton coughs and cries out my name. She stumbles towards her closet and pulls out a baseball bat. I'm still trying to recover. She swings the bat but she isn't strong enough. Derek catches the bat and tosses it to the side. Unbeknownst to him, I picked up the bat and crack his skull with it. He falls to the ground and groggily gets up right away.

I take one final swing as he nears the window. I connect with his jaw and he goes flying out of the window to the ground below.

Peyton instantly collapses. I run to her side and drop to my knees. I wrap my arms around her and try to comfort her as she cries into my shoulder.

"It's okay Peyton…Shhh…He's gone now, it's okay…" I whisper into her ear.

I can feel Peyton tremble. "I…love you…" Peyton shakily whispers.

"I know P. Sawyer. I love you too." I was crazy to think I could ever break up with this girl.

**FOOL**

There comes a day in everyone's life where they realize they have to grow up. Hard decisions need to be made and then those choices have to be lived with.

These choices can't be made on a whim. No, they are supposed to be thought out.

That day I made a choice. I couldn't leave Peyton. Not when she had been savagely attacked. As I held her in my arms, all thoughts of anyone else had been instantly wiped from my mind. She had always been there for me. I loved her and she loved me.

Haley's question was answered for me that day. We wouldn't be who we are without each other.

Now it's five years, three months, and four days later. I am standing at the front of the church and Peyton is standing across from me. Rachel and Haley are proudly standing on the side of me as my bridesmaids.

The priest is talking but all I can see is Peyton.


End file.
